Pollyanna and Chicken Little
Would people call you a positive person? Would they call you a negative person? What would you call yourself? Read on for some fascinating insight into these issues!
This is our second of three off-topic posts. When I say off-topic, I mean a post that does not mirror the course. Consider off-topic posts a bonus, something no one expected to receive. You know, like when your dad unexpectedly took the family out for ice cream when you were a child. This set of three off-topic posts concentrates on how our emotions and attitudes can affect our goal attainment and thus impact our ability to achieve our dreams and live our best lives. I’m spending the extra time and effort on these topics as they are not typically things we learn in school or are taught by our parents. You may learn about these topics if you study psychology or human behavior. Still, for the average person, these are not topics we know about, even though they are pretty important to us and either positively or negatively affect whether we get what we want out of life. And, worse, many people don’t even think about, much less assess, their own situation. I hope these discussions will cause you to reflect and consider your own life.
Last week, in our first off-topic post, we discussed our emotional levels. We learned that each of us has two emotional levels working all the time, often in the background, and we are not aware of them. These are fundamental and superficial emotions. Refer to last week’s post if you need to refresh yourself on this important concept. This week, we are going to concentrate on the normal, but not always, human tendency to focus on the positive in our lives (Note 1).
What is a Pollyanna?
As a rule, absent mental health issues or depression, most people tend to focus on the positive, that is, what is good as opposed to what is bad. What is right with the world rather than what is wrong. The term for this is often called the Pollyanna Principle, which came from a children’s book authored in 1913 by Eleanor Porter called Pollyanna. The principle was first discovered in the 1970s by researchers Matlin and Stang. Pollyanna was a girl who always looked on the bright side of things. This concept of a happy little girl was so successful that it spurred a sequel in 1915, followed by eleven more, commonly called “Glad Books,” with the latest coming in 1997, called “Pollyanna Plays the Game,” by Colleen Reece. Several movies were made, most notably in 1920 and a 1960 version by Disney. Pollyanna even spurred a board game by Parker Brothers known as The Glad Game (Note 2).
As a result of the success of the 1913 book, terms such as Pollyannaish and Pollyannaism became popular to refer to people who seemed to have a high level of optimism. These people also tend to be more likely to remember pleasant memories. More importantly, being positive is good for our health. You will remember our previous discussion that stated most health issues are caused by poor emotions rather than physical sickness. I vaguely remember hearing these terms when I was a child, and for the most part, I don’t think any version of the term Pollyanna is even used today. Have you heard of this term or the concept of being biased toward happiness?
Can you think of someone you would consider to be a Pollyanna? These people are always popular, enjoyable to be around, and always looking on the bright side. While I generally consider myself optimistic, I’m not one of these. I’ve been, on occasion, called negative, and if I am honest with myself, there are times when I am having a bad day, or the circumstances are such that, yes, I am pessimistic. For most of us, however, we tend to skew positive. In fact, I make it a point to focus on being positive, especially in my roles as teacher, leader, and mentor. Positivity and happiness are contagious, and people with these traits rub off on others, raising the whole lot. To the previous point, I feel better when I am positive as well.
Maybe I am just a realist…
You may be thinking to yourself, “Dave, wait a minute. I am positive, too, but I’m a realist.” I suggest clicking on the link in Note 1 and reading the entire article for more information on this topic. OK, I’ll also agree with your comment about being a realist. I used to consider myself a realist; that was my excuse for being negative. But being optimistic is not an excuse for ignoring reality. If you were on the Titanic when it was sinking, you had better put on a life preserver and get in the lifeboats. If you never go to the doctor, you should not be surprised that you may have something serious one day. If you never maintain your car, someday you may find yourself stranded. So don’t think that because I advocate being a Pollyanna, I advocate ignoring the evidence staring us in the face. Being positive does not mean being ignorant of the facts.
The final point I want to make about being positive is what is called the person-positivity bias. This is where we are biased toward a person or group, typically those who are like us. Think Republicans and Democrats. Or Yankees and Mets. Cubs and White Sox. I have a similar bias toward mechanical things. For me, this bias skews toward brands that have served me well. I tend to purchase those again in the future. Do you have a person-positivity bias?
Could I be a pessimist?
If being a Pollyanna means to be positive, what is the tendency to be negative called? Typically, you would call these negative people pessimistic (Note 3). These people are not hopeful for the future, they are not optimistic, they are cynical, and they can drag those around them down as well. In the interest of fairness, some people may be pessimistic “at the moment.” These are people who are suffering, who may be sick, suffered the loss of a loved one, or are going through a divorce. Please pray for those people and help them where you can, but we are not discussing this situation here. Some people are more than just pessimistic. These are considered toxic people. Avoid these people at all costs. I don’t want to get into a discussion about toxic people because they are relatively rare. Being around pessimistic people, and I mean those with long-term pessimism, is more like being around Chicken Little. You have heard of Chicken Little, haven’t you? Yes, it’s another old term from an old fairy tale. In the United States, Chicken Little is related to the European version of Henny Penny (Note 4). Chicken Little is a concept that goes back over 25 centuries and is about a chicken that always goes around claiming that the sky is falling. In short, disaster is imminent. Have you been around these types of people? With these folks, a new idea will never work; it’s always cloudy and rainy, and poor me, nobody likes me. I wonder why nobody likes me.
Take a minute and ponder whether you are positive or negative. Why are you the way you are? Hopefully, you are a Pollyanna. If you are not, consider how you can change yourself to be one. Being happy and optimistic is not only good for your health but also a requirement for you to achieve your goals. So you can live your best life. Don’t you agree?
What’s in it for Me
Today’s discussion may be just what you need to spur you to make the required changes. If you are satisfied you have the attitude you need, you are ready to go on to achieve more. If you are consistently negative, then there is a reason for that, and I suggest you consider what you can do to change that so you can achieve your dreams and live your best life.
Call to Action
Consider your state of mind. Is it positive or negative? If not positive, perhaps some self-examination, followed by concrete action, can help turn that around for you. A good first step is an appointment with your family medical professional. He or she can get you going from there. There is no sense going through life with a glass half empty that is really half full.
Recommended Resources
Buy and read the book Life’s Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown (Note 5).
Up Next
Embrace the suck.
Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Pollyanna: https://positivepsychology.com/pollyanna-principle/
Pollyanna: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollyanna
Negative people: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-creativity-cure/201611/taking-a-deeper-look-at-the-negative-person
Chicken Little: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henny_Penny
Life’s Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown: https://amzn.to/3BNNvDn